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218] ANNUAL REGISTER S T A T E P A P E R S. [[2 Columns]] His Majesty's most gracious Speech to both Houses of Parliament, on Tuesday the 21st of January, 1772. My Lords and Gentlemen, IT gives me much satisfaction, that nothing in the situation of our affairs, either foreign or domestick, has obliged me to require your attendance earlier than might have been consistent with your private convenience; and that, now you are met together, you will find yourselves at liberty to give your whole attention to the establishment of wise and useful regulations of law, and to the extension of our commercial advantages. The performance of the engagement of the king of Spain, in the restitution of Port Egmont and Falkland's Island, and the repeated assurances I have received of the pacifick disposition of that court, as well as of other powers, promise to my subjects the continuance of peace; and we may, with the greater confidence, hope, that we shall not be disturbed in the enjoyment of this blessing; as there is no reason to apprehend that we shall become involved in the troubles which still unhappily prevail in one part of Europe. The danger of the farther spreading of the infectious sickness in Europe is, I trust, very much abated: but I must recommend it to you, not to suffer our happiness, in having been hitherto preserved from so dreadful a calamity, to lessen your vigilance in the use of every reasonable precaution for our safety. Gentlemen of the House of Commons, I have ordered the estimates for the service of the current year to be laid before you. I make no doubt but you will see the propriety of maintaining a respectable establishment of my naval forces. I am pleased, however, to find, that I shall be under no necessity of asking of you, at this time, any extraordinary aid. My Lords and Gentlemen, The concerns of this country are so various and extensive, as to require the most vigilant and active attention; and some of them, as well from remoteness of place as from other circumstances, are so peculiarly liable to abuses, and exposed to danger, that the interposition of the legislature, for their protection, may become necessary. If in any such instances, either for supplying defects, or remedying abuses, you shall find it requisite to provide any new laws, you may depend upon my ready concurrence, in whatever may best contribute to the attainment of those salutary ends. The For the YEAR 1772. [219 [[2 Columns]] The humble Address of the Right Honourable the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament assembled, January 21, 1772. Most gracious Sovereign, WE, your majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects, the lords spiritual and temporal, in parliament assembled, return your majesty our humble thanks for your most gracious speech from the throne. Permit us, sir, to offer to your majesty our most dutiful congratulations, on the happy event of the increase of your royal family, by the birth of another prince; and to assure your majesty, that every addition to your majesty's domestic happiness must always afford the highest satisfaction to your faithful subjects. We beg leave to express to your majesty our most grateful sense of your majesty's regard for our private convenience, in not commanding us to an earlier attendance; and to declare to your majesty our determination, to give our most diligent attention to the promotion of the domestic interests of these kingdoms, and the extension of our commercial advantages, by the establishment of useful regulations of law. We return your majesty our humble thanks, for your goodness and condescension, in acquainting us from the throne with the restitution of Port Egmont and Falkland's Island, on the part of the King of Spain; and with the assurances your majesty has received of the pacific disposition of foreign powers. We are made happy by learning, that your majesty has no reason to apprehend that the peace which we at present enjoy will be disturbed by our being anywise involved in the calamities of war, which still unhappily prevail in one part of Europe. Your majesty's paternal care, in recommending to us a due vigilance in the use of every precaution to preserve this country from that most dreadful contagion, from which, under the divine providence, it has been hitherto our happiness to remain free, calls for our sincerest acknowledgments, and commands our utmost attention. We beg leave to assure your majesty, that our most diligent endeavours shall be employed to frame such laws, as shall, in our judgment, tend to supply the defects, and remedy the abuses, which may appear to have been introduced in any branch of the various and extensive concerns of this country: and we look upon your majesty's gracious assurance of your ready concurrence, in whatever may best contribute to the attainment of those salutary ends, as a fresh proof of that desire which has constantly been shewn, by your majesty, to promote the welfare of your people. His Majesty's most gracious Answer. My Lords, I thank you for this loyal and dutiful address. I receive with pleasure your congratulations on the increase of my family, and the assurances of the attention you will give to those objects which I have recommended to you for the publick good. Nothing can be more acceptable to me, than the sense you express of my desire to promote the welfare of my people. The
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Reopened for Editing 2023-05-12 14:09:17
